1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cutting and treatment devices and, more particularly, to housings accommodating different types of waveguides such as fibers and fiber tips.
2. Description of Related Art
Optical cutters are well known in medical, dental, and industrial settings. Generally, optical cutters employ a source of electromagnetic energy, such as a laser source, and an optical fiber system connected to the laser source. The optical fiber system is configured to direct a laser beam through one or more fibers from the laser to a surface to be cut. The optical fiber system may be contained within an optical fiber tube. The optical fiber tube may have a device at an end thereof (a distal end) for controlling delivery of electromagnetic energy to a surface to be cut. Another end (a proximal end) of the optical fiber tube may include a fiber connector for connecting to the laser source, which may be contained within a laser housing.
Fiber tubes may contain one or more optical fibers that differ in certain physical properties. The properties of the fibers and their connectors may be selected according to an application to which the optical cutter is to be applied. For example, optical fibers of a generic medical nature may be selected for general surgical applications. As another example, a specialized fiber and associated connector may serve to operate as a whitening dental handpiece. A fiber used in general medical applications may cost less than a fiber designed for a more specialized or advanced surgical procedure.
A relatively expensive laser source may accommodate an entire group of fibers including both general-purpose and specialized fibers. A relatively less expensive laser source may accommodate only general-purpose fibers.
A need exists for a device capable of differentiating between general-purpose and specialized fibers so that, for example, relatively expensive specialized fibers cannot be used with relatively inexpensive laser sources. A further need exists for a device capable of accepting both general-purpose and specialized fibers.